Horace's Compromise: The Dilemma of the American High School : with a New PrefaceFirst published in 1984, this best-selling classic is Theodore Sizer's eloquent call to arms for school reform. In a new preface, Sizer addresses the encouraging movements afoot today for better schools, smaller classes, and fully educated students. Yet, while much has changed for the better in the classroom, much remains the same: rushed classes, mindless tests, overworked teachers. Sizer's insistence that we do more than just compromise for our children's educational futures resonates just as strongly today as it did two decades ago. |
Contents
Preface to the 2004 Edition | vi |
Introduction | 1 |
Horaces Compromise | 9 |
THE STUDENTS | 23 |
Five Adolescents | 25 |
Diversity | 35 |
Commonality | 40 |
Docility | 53 |
THE TEACHERS | 141 |
Three Teachers | 143 |
Agreement | 154 |
Motivation | 161 |
Conditions | 172 |
Teachers | 180 |
Trust | 195 |
I | 198 |
Incentives | 59 |
THE PROGRAM | 69 |
What High School Is | 71 |
Purpose Mind and Character | 84 |
Skills The Importance of Coaching | 99 |
Knowledge Less Is More | 109 |
Understanding The Importance of Questions | 116 |
Character Decency | 120 |
Principals Questions | 131 |
THE STRUCTURE | 203 |
Hierarchical Bureaucracy | 205 |
Better Schools | 214 |
A Paralysis of Imagination | 218 |
An Experiment for Horace | 222 |
Acknowledgments | 241 |
Notes | 248 |
Common terms and phrases
Abigail academic Adams Corner adolescents adults Advanced Placement American High School answer areas asked assignment assistant principal attendance B. F. Skinner boys citizens classroom coaching colleagues course critical curriculum diploma effective English Essential Schools exercise exhibition expected experience girls give goals grade Gross homework Horace Horace Smith Horace's Compromise important incentives individual intellectual issues James Bryant Conant Jerome Bruner John Dewey JROTC kids learning less look Mark mathematics matter means Melissa mind minutes Mortimer Adler one's Pamela parents percent person Phillips Academy practice problem public school pupils questions reason requires Robert Coles Romeo and Juliet secondary school seniors sense Shiffe Sister Michael Sizer skills social studies standards structure talk teaching tell things tion Unheavenly City usually visited writing York young youngsters